Plužine between Lake Piva and cultural heritage

Piva Nature Park covers a significant part of the Municipality of Plužine, encompassing 39 percent of its area. In Plužine, landscapes, water sports and cultural heritage come together. When planning your stay, it is therefore worth considering which experiences you would like to focus on: peaceful activities on the lake, trails through nature or historical sights.

Water sports on Lake Piva and the rivers

Lake Piva offers particularly good conditions for water sports on calm waters. Kayaking on the lake is suited to travellers who prefer peaceful paddling; boat trips are also among the activities available to visitors. A different kind of kayaking is offered on the fast-flowing waters of the Piva and Tara rivers, and is aimed at adventure and adrenaline seekers. Rafting on the Tara is considered the most attractive tourism product of the Municipality of Plužine. The different water activities therefore mainly differ in whether you are looking for calm lake waters or fast-flowing rivers.

The zipline by Lake Piva in Plužine has a cable length of 1,400 metres.

Wildlife watching and trails

Piva Nature Park has two platforms for observing wild animals and one platform for birdwatching. Conditions and access may change; check the current situation before visiting. The management plan for 2021 to 2025 also lists more than 15 marked hiking and/or cycling routes with information boards. It also identifies the Plužine–Stabna–Veliki Vito mountain trail as a marked mountain path. When planning, take the conditions on each trail into account.

The Stabanska Lakes are glacial lakes about 20 kilometres from the town of Plužine. From Plužine, a trail runs along the Vrbnica and the Stabanski stream to the lakes. They are rich in trout and are frequently visited by sport anglers.

Lake Sušičko on Durmitor has a distinctive landscape feature: it is periodic. When the Sušica River dries up, the lake's water disappears too. This changing nature sets it apart from a lake that holds water year-round and makes its relationship with the river a characteristic feature of the landscape.

Piva Monastery and cultural heritage

Piva Monastery was relocated to Sinjac because the Piva River was flooded and a hydroelectric power plant was built. The original frescoes were also transferred during the relocation. The monastery's history thus connects a profound intervention in the landscape with the preservation of its original wall paintings.

The monastery treasury contains valuable collections of old manuscript books and books printed early in the Balkans. It is one of Montenegro's richest treasuries and houses the only surviving Psalter from the Obod printing house. The Kula Lazara Sočice in Goransko has the status of a cultural property. Together, the monastery and tower offer different points of interest for travellers who, in addition to nature and activities, are interested in the cultural heritage of Plužine.

Getting your bearings during your stay

For getting around the region, the M18 main road is an important reference point: it connects Šćepan Polje on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina to Podgorica via Plužine and Nikšić. As road conditions can change, it is advisable to check the latest situation before setting off. When choosing a hotel, you can plan your trip around the themes that interest you most – water sports, nature and trails, or culture.

Discover more destinations: NEDAJNO, Donja Brezna, Plužine, Crkvičko Polje, Herceg-Novi, Bijelo Polje, Žabljak, Šavnik.

See the broader travel overview: Montenegro.